The Christmas Job
by Shara Raizel
Summary: It's been four months since the team first formed and pulled the Gamer Job. Now as the Christmas season comes upon them, Shiho, Shinichi, Heiji, and Kid are determined to cheer their friend and leader up as the 1st year anniversary of Saguru's daughter's death approaches and celebrate their first Christmas in America together as a team.


This fic is part of my Leverage Inc. series and takes place roughly four months after The Gamer Job and 3 months after The Storm Breaker Job. By now the team has pulled quite a few jobs together (imagine this 1/3 through season 1 of Leverage) and have grown used to each others' company. If you haven't read the first chapter of the Storm Breaker Job already, I recommend that you read that first to get a better idea of how the team came to America and how the Leverage Offices are laid out. HOWEVER, this can be read as a stand alone. It was meant to be a one-shot. It just might help to have a little bit of context. I wrote this fic for Poirot Cafe's Themed Writing Competition #3: Christmas Eve, but this is more of a Christmas Day fic than Christmas Eve, so I hope that's alright. If not -shrugs- I wrote something DCMK for Christmas and, even better, I got to write about my Leverage team version of the 5 Gosho Geniuses and give you fabulous readers a highly requested sequel. I hope you like it. Enjoy!

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><p>The Christmas Job<p>

LOCATION: Leverage Inc. Headquarters

"What do you think Miyano wants?" Heiji asked as they got out of the elevator and headed towards their office space.

"Don't know," Shinichi said with a thoughtful expression. "She didn't say."

"She never does." Kid shrugged uncaringly as he opened the door, entering the lobby and front desk area. The sign saying "Leverage Consulting & Associates" and the portrait of company's supposed founder, William J. Leverage, greeted them. Kid still sniggered every time he saw that thing and Heiji wondered why Saguru hadn't torched it yet. They all knew he hated it. Shinichi figured the portrait only remained because Shiho had painted it herself and Saguru respected the woman too much to take it down without her permission, even if it was a hilarious old man parody painting of him.

"It's about time you showed up," Shiho snapped as she appeared carrying a large box. "We have work to do."

"So Hakuba's found us a new client?" Heiji asked.

"No," Shiho huffed. "You're helping me decorate the offices for Christmas."

"Why?" Kid asked.

"None of us are Christian," Shinichi said reasonably.

"All of us aren't except for Hakuba," Shiho nodded. "He's Catholic."

"Speaking of the half-Brit, where is he?" Heiji asked.

"Not here and none of you are going to say a word to him because it would spoil the surprise," Shiho said simply.

"Oh! A surprise?!" Kid squealed. "I love surprises!"

He took the box from Shiho, looking through its contents with gusto.

"Why bother?" Heiji asked, crossing his arms.

"Because decorating for the holidays and putting up lights is what most Americans do this time of year," Shiho said. "We're going to decorate the office and keep Hakuba-san away until Christmas so that we can surprise him with a party."

"Again, why?" Heiji asked.

"Because I don't want him to be alone more than necessary on that day," Shiho said. "And neither should you."

Heiji sighed and opened his mouth to ask "why" again when Shinichi groaned, running a hand through his hair with a wary sigh.

"Because last year it was on Christmas day that his daughter died," Shinichi said softly.

Heiji looked down at the floor and Kid stopped looking through the box.

"Exactly," Shiho said. "Haven't any of you noticed how quiet he's been recently? I've been looking at his credit card purchases and he's been spending more days and nights out at bars and liquor stores buying large quantities of alcohol since Thanksgiving. He'd going to drink himself to death if we don't do something. So we're decorating the offices and throwing a Christmas party to distract him. We'll do this thing proper, too. We're going to put up a Christmas tree, a couple of wreaths, string up lights, garland, tinsel and mistletoe, hang stockings by our fireplace, stock up on Christmas films and music, and we'll do a gift exchange and have a Christmas feast dinner. I've already purchased a ham and stocked the fridge and pantry with food, eggnog, mint-creamers and hot chocolate packets."

"…I don't know," Heiji frowned. "Maybe we should just give him space. Let him mourn his kid properly. And if Christmas day is the anniversary of his daughter's death, won't he go to London to visit her grave?"

"He'll be away spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with his mother, yes," Shiho nodded, "but he'll be coming back Christmas day. His flight leaves Heathrow Airport at 12:05 London time and arrives at 3:20 in Chicago. There's an hour and 43-minute layover before his plane brings him to LAX at 7:40 pm so it'll still be Christmas."

"Shiho, he's going to be tired when he lands," Shinichi said gently. "It's a 15-hour and 35-minute trip. He's going to be physically and emotionally drained and won't want to come into the office."

"That's where you're wrong," Shiho smirked. "I sat next to Saguru on all of our flights from Japan and to London and to the States. Saguru always sleeps during the long flights so that he's rested and ready to move when he lands. I'm confident he'll do so this time too, even if it's more likely to be the result of drinking himself into a stupor."

"The poor guy never sleeps much anyways." Kid shrugged. "I'm sure Miyano-chan is right."

"Of course I am," Shiho said. "Now lets get started. Kid, there are strings of lights laid out in the conference room. Since you don't fear heights and falling to your death, I want you to string them up outside the windows."

Kid grinned, giving her a quick salute before bolting for the conference room.

"Kudo, I want you to start hanging up the garland and other decorations inside while also keeping an eye on Kid," she continued. "Have him help you when he's finished outside."

Shinichi gave Kid a wary look as the thief came bounding back already in one of his scaling harnesses and with strands of lights coiled around his arms, a gleeful and mischievous glint in his eye.

"And me?" Heiji sighed, resigned.

"You're coming with me," Shiho said, shouldering her purse. "We're picking out a couple of Christmas trees, wreaths and some more decorations."

"Wonderful," Heiji muttered. "So basically you shop, I carry."

"Precisely," Shiho smirked. "So lets get a move on."

Shinichi watched as Heiji stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and trudged after their lone woman companion. Kid was whistling happily to himself as he swung out the window to begin his task. Shinichi went over to the box Shiho had carried out when they'd arrived and saw a collection of various holiday decorations. Well, better get started.

* * *

><p>CHRISTMAS DAY<p>

Heiji had to admit that the office looked fantastic. Kid had gone all out hanging lights and garlands up along the windows and crown moldings where Shinichi hadn't been able to reach without a stepladder. Every square inch of the office practically screamed Christmas. They'd turned the conference room into a great dining space and Shiho had shown them the new table she'd installed over the previous weekend that sank in and rose back out of the floor. It would allow them to remove the table's chairs and move in the nice long couch waiting in one of the unused rooms for after dinner to watch movies on. The couch would also give them a place to crash overnight, if this plan worked out as well as Shiho and Kid seemed to think it would.

Right now Heiji and Shinichi were decorating and putting the final touches on the last of the Christmas trees Shiho had purchased and had Heiji carry into the office last week. Saguru had left a few days earlier, so it had been easy to keep him away from the office during the first few days they'd started planning and preparing for this surprise.

Something was just bugging Heiji, though, about this whole thing. The way Shiho had been acting, being so determined to do this for Hakuba, and Shinichi and Kid going alone and agreeing with her… It made Heiji wonder if their friend was suicidal. Self-destructive? Sure. The guy was grieving over the loss of his child and using alcohol to numb the pain. But was he really that bad off? Were they seeing something Heiji wasn't?

"Hey, Kudo," Heiji said, hanging a couple more ornaments. "You've known Hakuba for eight to ten years now, right? Did you ever meet his ex-wife and kid?"

"No," Shinichi said, shaking his head. "I went to university with him senior year and we spent a couple years working together at U.N.I.S. before I returned to grifting, but that was before he met his ex. He met her about a couple months later."

"Do you know how old his kid was when she died?" Heiji asked.

Kid looked up at them – or down rather – from where he was perched up on a filing cabinet messing with some holly and sprigs of mistletoe he was hanging in a doorway. Heiji made a mental note to avoid that particular doorway.

"…She was five, I think," Shinichi said. "Maybe six?"

"Ya know her name?"

"No. I… didn't want to pry and open that can of worms. I hadn't even realized that he had a kid until… well… you know."

"And this isn't going to open that can or worms?" Heiji asked skeptically.

"He doesn't want sympathy," Shinichi said. "All of his so-called friends back in London have tried to talk to him about it, suggesting counseling, and telling him he should be letting go and move on with his life."

"And how's this different?" Heiji demanded.

"Because we're not telling him to forget," Kid said, strangely serious. "We're not going to talk to him about it at all. We're just friends trying to spend the holiday together. If he wants to talk, he can and we'll listen. If not, we'll all try our best to have a fun time and maybe show Hakuba that he's got us now. We've formed and become our own kind of strange family in a way. At least… that's how I feel."

Shinichi smiled at Kid, nodding.

"We are, aren't we?" Heiji sighed, running a hand through his hair. "After working alone for so long, these last four months… It's been nice having a place to call home and being around people I actually like." Then he glanced over at the kitchen where Shiho was baking something. "Well, most of the time."

"Hakuba never really stopped being a dad, though, did he?" Kid grinned. "I may call myself Kid, but I'm far from one." Heiji snorted. Kid ignored him. "Ever notice how he's always looking out for us on jobs? Talking us through things, coaching us even if it's something we've been doing longer than he has?"

Shinichi chuckled. "Does that make Miyano-chan the mother, and the three of us the kids?"

"Oh, hell no," Heiji shivered. "That woman ain't no mother."

"She sure puts you in your place enough to be yours," Kid grinned. "I think Shin-chan's right. We're the kids in our little family scenario. I'm the cute youngest child, Shinichi is the oldest and most respectful child who always does what he's told, and Heiji is the middle child that always gets into trouble and is scolded by Mommy."

Shinichi laughed and Heiji fumed.

"Two problems with your family scenario," Shiho said as she suddenly entered the room, making them all jump. "One, Hakuba-san is actually the youngest out of you four; and two, Kid, you're not as cute as you think you are. If anything, you and Hattori-kun are the young brats that never learn."

Kid pouted and Heiji crossed his arms.

"But you are right about one thing, Kid," Shiho said, actually smiling. "If he doesn't want to talk about what happened to his daughter, fine, but what I think he needs right now, is to see that we are not asking him to forget. That we're here for him when he _is_ ready to talk, just as he's been there looking out for us on jobs. He's taken a group of criminals and made us into the good guys. He's given us a new life. Helped us through things we couldn't have managed on our own. Now it's our turn to give back."

They all nodded, putting the finishing touches on everything. Presents went under the tree in the lobby, food waited warm in the oven, and now all that was missing, was the one it was all intended for.

* * *

><p>LOCATION: LAX Airport<p>

Saguru sighed as he finally got off his flight. He had a headache, having had one shot of whiskey too many."

"Hey! Welcome back, Hakuba."

Saguru blinked, surprised to see Shinichi waiting for him at his departure terminal.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Shinichi rolled his eyes, leading the way to baggage claim. "What does it look like? I'm here to pick you up. How was London?"

"…Merry Christmas," Saguru said before shrugging. "Wet. They've got a lot of snow this year, but things have warmed up a touch, so it was turning to slush when I left."

They chatted a bit about London and Saguru's mother as they waited for Saguru's luggage to show up on the carrousel in baggage claim. Saguru had two.

"What's with the second bag?" Shinichi asked, raising an eyebrow. "You normally travel light."

"One has everyone's Christmas presents in it," Saguru said, blushing. "I did some last minute Christmas shopping with my mother when I arrived, and figured I might as well get you guys something while I was at it. I know none of you celebrate Christmas, but friends still exchange presents sometimes in Japan too, right? So-!"

"Hakuba, it's cool," Shinichi laughed. "We actually all pitched in and got something for you as well."

"You did?" Saguru blinked in surprise.

"You know Kid," Shinichi shrugged. "Guy gets an idea into his head and you might as well go along with it to at least keep things under control and save yourself the headache of trying to stop him."

Saguru chuckled. "Should I be worried?"

"Nah," Shinichi snickered. "But we do need to stop by the office before I take you home. Hope that's alright."

"It's fine." Saguru said, shaking his head. "Kid hasn't been too out of control has he? And Miyano-san and Hattori haven't managed to kill each other yet?"

"The kids are all fine, Dad," Shinichi smirked. "We didn't burn the house down."

Saguru shrugged, a small smile ghosting across his face. "I never know with you lot."

"I think you know better than most," Shinichi said.

They got in Shinichi's car and drove to the offices. Saguru couldn't help but laugh when the building came into view and he saw all of the lights on the floor the Leverage Inc. offices were on. Lights framed every window and there were so many reindeer, Christmas elf, and snowflake lights crammed around and between them that there wasn't an inch on the stretch of wall belonging to their floor that wasn't lit.

"Kid?"

"Kid."

Saguru grabbed his second suitcase and followed Shinichi, wondering what the gang had in store for him. He was not expecting what he saw when he followed Shinichi into the office. He stopped in the doorway after seeing how festive and decorated it was. And it wasn't just the lobby. The decorations appeared to be everywhere and even continued into the conference room that was currently blacked out, and Christmas music was playing over the speakers in the background as well.

"Oh my God," Saguru gaped, looking around, eyes drinking it all in.

"We were bored," Shinichi said, enjoying Saguru's gob smacked expression.

"Merry Christmas!" Kid cried, dashing into the lobby. With a grin he grabbed Saguru by his coat's lapels and crushed their lips together in a kiss.

Saguru froze in shock. Then as quickly as he'd appeared, Kid was gone, dancing out of reach and grinning like a loon.

"The hell?" Saguru breathed.

"Mistletoe," Shiho said, entering the room looking cross as she approached. She grabbed a nearby chair and stood on it to snatch a sprig of the plant from where it hung over the doorway Saguru was still standing under. "Bastard kept hanging this shit up and kissing anyone unfortunate enough to be caught under it. I thought I'd burned it all. Sorry."

Saguru nodded mutely as he watched Shiho stalk over to the fireplace and tossed the mistletoe into the fire. That was when he noticed the five stockings hanging there, marked with their initials.

"Kid, I think you broke him," Heiji snickered from where he now stood, leaning against a wall in the office lobby.

"Aww! It's all in good fun!" Kid grinned. "What's with the suitcase, Hakuba? You moving in?"

"Ah, no," Saguru said, shaking his head to break himself out of his stunned state. "I, ah, got you all presents while I was in London. I came up to give them to you since Kudo said you'd all be here."

"Ooh!" Kid cried, clapping his hands together. "Put them under the tree with ours!"

"I'll do it," Shinichi volunteered, taking Saguru's suitcase from him.

Saguru looked over at the large tree in the corner of the office with sixteen presents already waiting underneath.

"All right, idiots," Shiho huffed. "Lets go eat before the food gets cold."

"Come on, Hakuba!" Kid said, dragging Saguru after him towards the conference room. "Miyano-chan cooked us a Christmas feast!"

And it indeed was a feast. The table was covered with food. There was ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, a few casseroles, a variety of bread rolls, puddings, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods.

"Holy…" Saguru gasped.

"I hope everything tastes all right," Shiho said, fidgeting nervously. "I've never cooked a lot of these things before." She was more used to Japanese and a variety of other Asian dishes. She was still getting used to western food.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Miyano-san," Saguru was quick to reassure her. "Everything smells great."

And it was. Everything tasted fine and all the men made sure to praise Shiho for her cooking. They all ate until they were stuffed. Once the table was cleared and lowered into the floor, they returned to the lobby and sorted out all the presents. They opened them in turns, but insisted that Saguru open the first present.

He opened Shiho's first and got a brand new tablet of her own design. From Kid he got an antique jeweled clock – Kid assured him that he hadn't stolen it, a set of throwing knives from Heiji, as well as a promise that he'd be taught how to properly use them, and from Shinichi, Saguru got an assortment of import German and Swedish chocolates that they'd both enjoyed eating during their university days, and a bottle his favorite wine.

Kid got a new tablet from Shiho as well, his already installed with a variety of his favorite app games on it, a box of classic children's toys like a yo-yo, a bag of marbles, jacks, a jump rope, Janja blocks, a paddleboard with the rubble ball and string, ect from Heiji, a certificate for skydiving lessons and a bag of candies from Shinichi, and from London, Saguru had found Kid a small antique handcrafted jewel box with precious stones decorating the lid.

Heiji had been given a "Computers for Idiots" book and a mini-laptop from Shiho, an ancient Samurai sword – again Kid swore he hadn't stolen it, Shinichi had gifted him with a book on Kendo and some classic Samurai films, and Saguru had bought Heiji signed first editions of two of Heiji's favorite Ellery Queen novels that he'd discovered at a book vendor's stand during a trip down Portobello Road with his mother. It's where Saguru had purchased most of everyone's gifts actually.

Shinichi got a tablet from Shiho as well with all of his favorite novels already downloaded to it's book library, a crystal and quartz chess set from Kid (not stolen), a set of throwing knives the same as Saguru's from Heiji, and a complete collection of signed first edition Sherlock Holmes novels. Saguru had gone to a specialty collector for those. Shinichi obviously appreciated them and opened the first book right away, so it was a good thing that he opened that present last.

Shiho got a collection of art books from Kid, a set of butterfly knives from Heiji, a variety of cook books from Shinichi, and an assortment of English sweets, cracker tins, and a bottle of Sherry from Saguru along with a book on the history of technology and modern science.

After all the gifts were open, Kid insisted they move on to watching Christmas movies. They had to tear Shinichi away from his Sherlock Holmes novels and pushed the couch into the now empty conference room. Heiji brought in an armful of blankets and Shiho pulled up a selection of movies on the screen, telling Saguru to pick one.

He recognized most of the titles, many of which he'd watched with his family. His favorite was the classic: It's a Wonderful Life, but that's not the one he picked.

"Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer?" Heiji frowned.

"…It was my… it was Annie's favorite," Saguru said softly with a small smile. "She liked the puppets. It… was also the movie I watched with her shortly before she died."

They didn't know what to say. Shiho just turned away to selected the movie. Kid gently grabbed Saguru's arm again and led him over to the couch, sitting him in the middle. Kid curled up on Saguru's right with Heiji on the end, and Shinichi took the spot on Saguru's left, Shiho taking that end. They watched the movie, but it was quiet and a little awkward because none of them knew what to say to Saguru after it was over. It was okay for a kid's movie and was mercifully short, but none of them had particularly liked it. Saguru had, though, and appeared to be fine. He even suggested that they watch The Santa Clause staring Tim Allen next. They all enjoyed that one a lot more and the awkwardness was gone. They played the first Home Alone movie after that (Kid LOVED that one), enjoying each others' company until one by one they started to fall asleep watching It's A Wonderful Life.

It was 4 o'clock in the morning and Saguru was the last one awake by the end of the movie. He looked around at his team. Shinichi and Shiho had fallen asleep leaning against each other, Shinichi's arm wrapped around Shiho and her head resting on his shoulder. Heiji was slumped back in his spot, feet propped up on the footrest that came out under his section of the couch. Kid was using it too, but he was curled into Saguru's side, head resting on Saguru's thigh. It reminded him of all the times his daughter had done the same thing after a movie marathon. Saguru absently ran his fingers through Kid's hair, lost in memories.

"Mmm… That feels good," Kid muttered, smirking as he cracked open an eye. "Penny for your thoughts, Hakuba?"

Saguru stopped what he was doing, flushing with embarrassment.

"Sorry."

"It's fine," Kid yawned. "It felt nice."

"…Annie thought so too. She would fall asleep lying like you are now when we stayed up late watching movies."

"Was that your daughter's name? Annie?" Kid asked.

"Yeah," Saguru smiled, carding his fingers through Kid's hair again. Kid believed that Saguru wasn't even aware the he was doing it again. "Short for Annabeth. She had just turned six when she…" He cleared his throat.

"…Do you want to talk about it?" Kid asked.

"What is there to talk about?" Saguru sighed, running his other hand over his face. "U.N.I.S. refused to pay for her treatment, she got sicker, and then she died."

"You said you watched Rudolf with her," Kid said softly. "You were with her at the end?"

"…Yes," Saguru said, voice tight. "She… had wanted to see it. It was a Christmas tradition of ours. She died an hour later in her sleep… her head in my lap."

Kid nodded, feeling a little awkward now. "So… what was she like? Was she anything like you?"

"No," Saguru chuckled, wiping traces of a tear from his eye. "Annie… was very much like her mother. She was a very spirited girl. She liked to dance and play games. The only times she was ever still was when we watched movies, but I was teaching her how to play piano because she wanted to play duets with me."

"Sounds like she was a great kid," Kid said.

"She was. …She was my whole world," Saguru choked.

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, and startled when he felt Shinichi and Shiho slide closer to him until they were resting against his left side. Kid patted his leg reassuringly and he felt Heiji's arm rest behind him across the back of the couch. Saguru felt his throat constrict a bit more and couldn't hold back his tears.

Kid, Shiho, Shinichi, and Heiji all stayed by Saguru's side, letting him cry without comment, silently lending him their support. They all fell asleep like that, curled up together on the couch. They were a team. They were also a family, and they looked out for their own.

* * *

><p>I had a lot of fun with this one and I'm so happy I finished in time for Christmas. I hope you guys liked it. A lot of you asked about Hakuba's daughter and ex-wife. Hopefully this filled in the blanks a bit on the daughter. The ex-wife you'll actually get to meet in a later story. Let me know if you have any questions or if there was a certain part that you guys like. I know Kid had me in stitches many times as I wrote this. And yes, there was a hint of ShinchixShiho at the end there. ;) Thanks for reading and MERRY CHRISTMAS!<p>

ALSO! I've posted a new poll to help me prioritize which fan fics I should write regularly so that I can create a new update schedule for the new year. If you want to see regular updates for this series, please go to my profile page and vote!


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